Adventures of Summer

I find myself becoming greedy. Greedy for new experiences, new sights and cities. I’ve become an addict for adventure, and I’m afraid there is no cure.

– c.m.t

October is here and so is my favorite season of the year. Time to wrap ourselves up again and enjoy a hot chocolate with our loved ones at home. However, as I’m watching the changing leaves fall to the ground, I can’t quite let go of the summertime sweetness that is still faintly lingering in the brisk air. I found fall to arrive so quickly that I want to use the time to think back to everything I’ve got to do this summer.

This summer has been about feeding the greed. The greed for travel – exploring cities I hadn’t been to before. Escaping and breathing the air of new places. All because I know that traveling opens the heart, it makes us realize that no matter how much we’ve seen, there’s always more to learn. It fills our lives with stories to tell and remember for ourselves, so that in times like these, when the days get shorter and darker again, we have memories that warm our hearts.

Lisbon

My trip to Lisbon was a graduation present from my Dad (note: I graduated in 2016, haha). We finally both found the time to travel to Lisbon together, and it was everything I could’ve wished for! We had beautiful weather in early May and stayed in a small boutique hotel in the midst of a party mile (unintentionally). We only stayed three nights but definitely made the most of our stay. When you visit Lisbon, you will have to put on your walking shoes because the small winding streets of this city are only to be reached by foot. We walked for two days, until our feet were hurting so bad on the last day that we decided to explore the city on a “Tuk Tuk”, a motorized rickshaw. We were very lucky with our guide who showed us the hidden gems of Lisbon and took us to the most beautiful spots in the city.

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Madrid

Madrid has been on my list for quite a while. As we all know, my heart has belonged to Barcelona for a very long time now and I still consider it my place of happiness. However, I was curious about the capital Madrid, which seemed to be the total opposite of my beloved Barcelona – no beach, no harbor, no sunrises over the ocean. Instead, I found Madrid to be more “pompous” – its ancient, historical buildings, its heavy stone architecture and miles of concrete streets. No matter if visiting the Royal Palace, the Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol or Plaza de Cibeles, I couldn’t help but be stunned by such architectural beauty.

Edinburgh

Thinking back to how much I loved Dublin and my time in Ireland, I knew I’d eventually fall for Edinburgh too. We were there for two short days but still got a pretty good impression of the city. I’m a lover for gothic architecture and there were plenty of beautiful sights to be found in Edinburgh. See for yourself!

Hamburg

Hamburg was my home for the summer. I’ve been to Hamburg twice before so it is not entirely correct that it was a “new” city, but I’ve got to see it with such different eyes now that I’d lived there for almost three months. I did an internship in Hamburg so I was quite busy, yet I used the time after work and on the weekends to explore the harbor city (and we all know I’ve got a thing for harbors), as well as cities in close reach, such as Lübeck, Lüneburg and Schwerin.

Hamburg fascinated me. I was lucky to have been there in the summer to experience mellow summer nights at the Alster, the beats of blasting music on the Reeperbahn, sunsets at the harbor and the city lights reflecting on the ocean’s surface. I really found a piece of home in Hamburg and will be back soon enough.

Berlin

The last city I visited this summer was Berlin. Again, not a “new” city, but I can certainly say that the older you get, the more you see a city with different eyes. You get a feel for the city’s vibe, and you quickly decide if you like it or not. And I love Berlin’s vibe. It’s nothing like Hamburg or Munich – Berlin is a world on its own. It’s strange but familiar, loud but quiet, colorful but black and white. People in Berlin write their own rules, they don’t live according to the “norm”, which I found absolutely fascinating. Everyone is different, and that means anyone can fit in.

I’m grateful for everything I was able to do this summer. For being around good energy, connecting with people, learning new things and growing in ways I hadn’t expected. This summer has put me in a really good place and I can’t wait for what’s to come.

For now, however, back to university, hot chocolate and cosy sweaters, because fall is here and summer on hold until next year..

Dream big,

Joana